Statement on Korean Peninsula situation

May 26, 2010

20:30

The situation on the Korean Peninsula has sharply deteriorated in the last several days. An international expert commission was set specifically to investigate the causes for the sinking of the Republic of Korea’s Cheonan Navy corvette in the Yellow Sea on March 26, 2010, causing numerous casualties. The commission concluded that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was involved in this incident.

The people of Russia share the people of South Korea’s grief at what has happened and express their deepest condolences to the families of the victims. At the moment, Russian experts are carefully and thoroughly examining materials on the outcomes of the investigation which were submitted to Russia by the South Korean side.

Following the suggestion from South Korean authorities, the President of Russia decided to send to the Republic of Korea a group of highly qualified Russian specialists for a detailed on-the-spot review of the investigation results and the physical evidence that has been collected. Dmitry Medvedev finds it crucially important to establish the true cause for why the ship sank, and to identify the responsible parties with full certainty.

Russia presumes that should reliable information on involvement of any parties with the incident be available, such guilty parties shall be subjected to response measures deemed necessary and appropriate by the international community.

Besides, the President of Russia finds it important that all parties engaged demonstrate restraint and moderation for the purposes of preventing further escalation of tension, and maintaining peace, security and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region overall.

Russia is ready to continue addressing this problem in close cooperation with any interested states.